Ukwelusa kukaChakijana

Umxoxi: Kwesukasukela!

Abalaleli: Cosu!

Kwakukhona uchakijana. Kwathi ngelinye ilanga ezihambela nje emadlelweni,

wahlangana namadoda eluse izinkomo zenkosi. Wawabuza ngokukhulu ukumangala

wathi: “amadoda anjani lawa elusa izinkomo na? Abekho yini abafana kuleli zwe no?

Ambhekisisa amadoda lo mfanyana anamehlo enhloko. Ambuze ukuthi ungubani nje

ngempela. Aphendule uchakijana: “Wo! Nisho mina? Mina nginguChakijana boGcololo;

umphephethi wezinduku zabafo. Nokho ngiyazihambela nje, ngibuka izwe. Kodwa

umsebenzi wami engiwazi ngempela wukwelusa izinkomo.”

Pho-ke, nawo amadoda ayazibonela ukuthi cha, yingqwele ngempela lena. Ahamba naye

eseyomthula enkosini. Inkosi ithokoze kakhulu ibona umfana ohlakaniphile wayisomane

kangaka. Imcele ukuba ayelusele izinkomo zayo. Nebala avume uChakijana. Kwabe kuthi

njalo ekuseni anikwe inyama nokunye ukudla azokudla emadlelweni ngenkathi elusile.

uChakijana wayezelusa kahle izinkomo ezikhothisa utshani obuthambile, ubabe

nensinde. Kwakuthi lapho sezisengwa, onondlini bagcwalise amathunga. Bonke lapha

komkhulu base bemejwayele futhi bemthanda.

Ngeshwa kwenzeka ukuba inciphe inyama. UChakijana waqala ukubulawa indlala. Suku

lumbe walithola isu. Kwathi lapho amabutho akomkhulu eselele, yena wavuka,

wanyonyoba kancane waya lapho kulele khona elinye ibutho. Wafike wahosha umkhonto

walo. Waphuma nawo waya esibayeni. Wafika khona wagwaza enkulu inkabi

ngomkhonto lowo. Wabe esephindela endlini wafike wabeka umkhonto endaweni yawo.

Ekuseni ngomuso inkosi yamangala lapho ifumana inkabi yayo idindilizile. Ybuza kubo

bonke ekhaya ukuthi ngabe inkomo ibulawe yini. Namabutho avuswa, abuzwa. Kodwa

akukho noyedwa owayenempendulo ngalo mhlola. Khona kwakubonakala ukuthi

igwazwe ngomkhonto, kepha babengazi ukuthi igwazwe ngubani wakwabani.

Yathukuthela yathelwa ngamanzi inkosi ngaleli cala ngoba futhi le nkabi yabe iyithanda

kakhulu. Yanquma ukuthi makubizwe umhlahlo. Kuthe kusaboniswana ngokuthi

kuzoyiwa kusiphi isangoma, uChakijana wavela nowakhe umbono. “Kodwa mina ngisola

sengathi umuntu omubi ukhona lapha phakathi kwethu. Mina ngithi ake kuhlolisiswe

zonke izinto, kubhekwe nemikhonto yamabutho”. Nebala kwenziwe lokho. Inkosi ijube

induna yayo ukuba kube yiyo ehlola imikhonto yamabutho. Kuthe lapho elinye ibutho

lihosha umkhonto walo, lamangala selifica unegazi. Kodwa ukumangala kwalo akubange

kusasiza. Wonke umuntu wamane wathi yilona elibulele inkabi yenkosi. Hhawu!

Langualwa ibutho, libulawelwa icala elingalazi. Yahlinzwa inkabi enkulu. Inyama yafakwa

ezimbizeni yonke, yaphekwa. Uchakijana wezwa ubuhlungu esebona ukuthi inyamazane

yakhe izodliwa ngabantu abaningi yena athole amaqashana ambalwa nje. Wazimisela

ukuba athole isu lokuba ayidle yedwa yonke leyo nyama. Wakhipha izinkomowazisa

ekhaphelweni. Uthe esuka wabe eseziqhuba indawo ende eyozifihla ehlathini elikhulu

elimnyama. Wabuya masishane esezobika ekhaya ukuthi izinkomo zenkosi zilahlekile

zonke, akazi ukuthi zintshontshwe ngubani. Washo impela esekhala ezimathonsi. Bonke

bahle babona nje ukuthi bala, mikhulu imihlola lapha komkhulu.

Inkosi yakhipha bonke abantu ekhaya yathi abalekelele kufunwe izinkomo.

Akuphumanga mabutho wodwa, kwaphuma wonke umuntu , ngisho nesinedolo imbala.

UChakijana wahamba nabo eyobakhombisa phela lapho ebezelusele khona izinkomo.

Emva kwalokho wanyenya benganakile, wanyomuka esephindela emuva. Wathi angafika

ekhaya wayikhipha yonke inyama ezimbizeni. Wayifaka ezitsheni nasezingqokweni

wayithutha yonke wayoyifihla ehlathini eliseduze kwalapho elusela khona izinkomo.

Izimbiza zona wazigcwalisa ngobulongwe. Wasuka-ke eseyolanda izinkomo lapho

ayezifihle khona ehlathini.

Abantu benkosi bambona nje eseqhamuka nazo bona belokhu belibele ukufuna kodwa

bengazifumani. Bajabula kakhulu base bemhlangabeza. Baziqhuba bonke izinkomo

baphindela komkhulu. UChakijana wakhuluma wathi, “ Kazi singathini uma sesifica yonke

inyama isiphenduke ubulongwe. Mina ngake ngawubona lowo mhlola. Abantu bahamba

bonke ekhaya abangashiya muntu ozolinda inyama eyayiphekiwe. Bathi bebuya yabe

isiphenduke ubulongwe inyama leyo”. Abantu bethuka kabi ukuzwa lokho. Baphakamisa

izinyawo befuna ukuyozibonela ukuthi basayoyifica yini inyama. Bathe bethi bayavula

ezimbizeni! Mamoshane! Nangempela inyama isiphenduke ubulongwe.

Uchakijana kwakuthi njalo nxa eyokwelusa, azitike ngenyama.

Cosu, cosu!

Iyaphela-ke